Gamers to Spend 70% More on Accessories Than on PCs or Laptops by 2030

The future of gaming is in accessories, at least according to the latest surveys showing gaming hardware market projections. Over the past five years, gamers worldwide have been spending well over $100 billion annually on gaming hardware, a figure expected to jump over $200 billion in the next two years, and accessories like GPUs, speakers, headsets, and monitors have a lion’s share in that head-spinning total. Moreover, the trend shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, with gaming accessories generating the highest revenue and growing much faster than any other part of the market.

According to data presented by Skinsluck.com, gamers are expected to spend on average 70% more on accessories than on PCs and laptops by 2030.

Average Spending on Gaming Accessories to Surge 47% to $841 by 2030, Growing 4x Faster Than Spending on PCs and Laptops

Gamers are increasingly spending more on accessories than on gaming PCs and laptops because gear has become the real game-changer. For a start, a powerful GPU, high-refresh monitor, or pro headset can change the gaming experience much more than replacing an entire machine. Also, with streaming and esports driving higher performance standards, gamers are investing in precision gear like mechanical keyboards and surround-sound headsets to gain an edge.

On top of that, gaming PCs and laptops have hit a performance plateau, so accessories have become a smarter, more affordable way to boost gameplay. This perfect storm of events has turned accessories into the largest and fastest-growing segment of the gaming hardware industry, growing much faster than any part of the market. The latest Statista data show just how big that gap has become.

In 2025, gamers worldwide are expected to spend $178.4 billion on gaming hardware, with accessories accounting for 51% of that value, with $91.2 billion in revenue.  PCs and laptops follow with $62.3 billion, while gaming consoles trail behind with $24.8 billion. The difference becomes even more striking when looking at the average spending per user. According to Statista, gamers will spend an average of $570.6 on accessories this year, 27% more than on PCs and laptops, and 76% more than on consoles.

This gap will become even wider over the next five years. Statista expects the average user spending on accessories to surge by 47% to $841 by 2030, growing four times faster than spending on PCs and laptops, which will rise by only 10% to $492 in this period. That also means gamers will spend on average 70% more, roughly $350 extra, on accessories than on gaming machines themselves. On the other hand, consoles are the only segment of the gaming hardware market facing a decline, with users spending an average of $318 by 2030, or 1.5% less than this year.

GPUs Top Spending Growth with a 68% Increase Over Five Years

While all segments of the gaming accessories market are expected to see a considerable spending increase by the end of the decade, none of them are even close to GPU-s, or graphics cards. The Statista data show gamers will spend an average of $347 on GPUs in 2025, pushing total market revenue to $42.7 billion, nearly half of the entire accessories market. However, the average spending per user is forecast to surge by an impressive 68% and hit $584 by 2030, which is the biggest increase in the entire market.

In comparison, the average spending per user on CPUs will jump by 33% to $493 in this period, while other categories will see even smaller growth. Gaming monitors are expected to rise by 14%, reaching $227 per user by 2030. Gaming chairs, headsets, and speakers follow with 26%,33% and 28% increases, bringing average user spending to $281, $95, and $188, respectively.